Methods of detection of Toxoplasma gondii P22 gene

ABSTRACT

Genetic material encoding the P22 peptide of Toxoplasma gondii has been isolated and characterized. This genetic material allows the production of peptides for use in diagnosis or immunization or can itself be directly used in hybridization assays.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/024,932, filed Mar. 2, 1993 which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/431,669 filed Nov. 3, 1989, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,917.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering and more particularly to the identification and preparation of polynucleotide sequences and polypeptides useful for vaccine development and for detection of a toxoplasma infection by hybridization and immunological assays.

2. Description of the Background

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The disease is traditionally associated with the developing fetus in whom it can cause severe neurological problems manifesting as hydrocephaly, mental retardation, or blindness. In healthy adults, the disease is typically mild, producing few if any symptoms.

Recently, the number of toxoplasmosis cases has dramatically increased as a result of an increase in persons who are in some way immunodeficient, such as resulting from post-transplantation therapy, neoplastic disease, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In such immunodeficient patients, the parasite can cause encephalitis, a potentially fatal form of the disease.

The current means of diagnosing toxoplasmosis are costly, time consuming, of limited sensitivity, and associated with substantial risks to the patient. Conventional procedures involving serologic techniques are very often not reliable because of severe immune dysfunction in AIDS patients and because of the recurrent nature of the disease. In pregnant women who are first tested for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, it is critical to differentiate between current and past infection (currently done by comparing IgG and IgM titers over a period of time).

One problem that currently exists is obtaining sufficient quantities of suitable antigens both for the preparation of vaccines and for use as standards in immunological assays. Current techniques for providing antigen require the growth of protozoa in mice and the continual reinfection of new mice. Availability of a genetically engineered polypeptide antigen capable of being used either as a vaccine or an immunological standard would alleviate numerous problems with the current source of antigen.

Furthermore, the methods of treatment for prevention of toxoplasma infection are currently limited. There are no commercial vaccines available for the control of toxoplasmosis. Treatment of the disease is generally initiated and maintained with a drug regimen involving a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. However, toxicity due to the drug treatment can be significant so that prophylactic drug therapy is not recommended except where cysts have actually been detected.

Accordingly, there remains a need for the development of diagnostic assays that reliably detect low levels of toxoplasma infection and of materials useful for the production of vaccines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides genetic material encoding a cell surface antigen of T. gondii known as P22. The genetic material can be used to produce polypeptides or proteins for use as vaccines or diagnostic reagents, or can be used as a source of probes that can be used in nucleic acid hybridization assays for the direct detection of toxoplasma infections. Specific genetic material and analytical techniques are disclosed in the following detailed description and the examples that follow.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The present inventors have identified and obtained for the first time genetic material encoding the P22 antigen of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The P22 antigen, is a major surface antigens [see Kasper et al., J. Imm. (1983) 130:2407-2412 and Sibley and Sharma, Infect. Immunol. (1987) 55: 2137-2214] and can be used for the production of vaccines or diagnostic standards (the latter for use, e.g., in immunoassays for detecting T. gondii). Accordingly, identification and isolation of this specified genetic material allows production of various biochemical components, such as antigens, diagnostic nucleic acid probes, and systems for producing the same, which find a variety of useful biological applications.

Since there is a known and definite correspondence between amino acids in a peptide and the DNA sequence that codes for the peptide, the nucleic acid sequence of a DNA or RNA molecule coding for a natural T. gondii protein (or any of the modified peptides later discussed) will readily be understood as indicating particular amino acid sequences, and such exemplary sequences of nucleotides and amino acids are shown in Table 1.

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Nucleotide sequence of one strand of DNA encoding T. gondii                    protein P22 and sequence of corresponding peptide. The DNA                     sequence is numbered beginning at the 5' terminus of a cloned                  sequence that contains the coding sequence. The reading frame                  begins with nucleotide 2. The peptide sequence of P22 is numbered              with the first known amino acid encoded by the partial CDNA                    sequence as number 1.                                                          P22 Sequence (Partial)                                                         __________________________________________________________________________     cDNA Sequence (coding sequence underlined)                                     CTTGTTTGTT                                                                               GTGTTCAAGT                                                                               TCGCTCTTGC                                                                               GTCCACCACC                                                                              GAGACGCCAG                                                                               50                            CGCCCATTGA                                                                               GTGCACTGCC                                                                               GGCGCAACGA                                                                               AGACTGTTGA                                                                              TGCACCCTCC                                                                              100                            AGTGGTTCCG                                                                               TTGTCTTCCA                                                                               ATGTGGGGAT                                                                               AAACTAACCA                                                                              TCAGTCCCAG                                                                              150                            TGGCGAAGGT                                                                               GATGTCTTTT                                                                               ATGGCAAGGA                                                                               ATGCACAGAC                                                                              TCGAGGAAGT                                                                              200                            TGACGACTGT                                                                               CCTTCCAGGT                                                                               GCGGTCTTGA                                                                               CAGCTAAGGT                                                                              CCAGCAGCCC                                                                              250                            GCGAAAGGTC                                                                               CTGCTACCTA                                                                               CACACTGTCT                                                                               TACGACGGTA                                                                              CTCCCGAGAA                                                                              300                            ACCTCAGGTT                                                                               CTCTGTTACA                                                                               AGTGCGTTGC                                                                               CGAAGCAGGT                                                                              GCTCCCGCTG                                                                              350                            GTCGAAATAA                                                                               TGATGGTTCT                                                                               AGCGCTCCGA                                                                               CGCCTAAAGA                                                                              CTGCAAACTC                                                                              400                            ATTGTTCGCG                                                                               TTCCGGGTGC                                                                               CGATGGCCGT                                                                               GTCACATCTG                                                                              GGTTTGACCC                                                                              450                            TGTGTCTCTC                                                                               ACGGGCAAGG                                                                               TTCTTGCTCC                                                                               CGGTCTCGCA                                                                              GGTTTGTTGA                                                                              500                            TCACGTTTGT                                                                               GTAAAAGAAA                                                                               GGGCTGATGA                                                                               TTAAGTAGTC                                                                              AAAAGGTCAC                                                                              550                            ACCAAGATAT                                                                               GCACCCCTGA                                                                               AGAGACGTCT                                                                               TTGGGTCAAT                                                                              GGCCTTCTTT                                                                              600                            CGGAGAAGAG                                                                               TTGCGAAAGT                                                                               CGGTGAACGG                                                                               TGGTCGCCCT                                                                              CAGGGTGCAC                                                                              650                            TTTGTTGTTT                                                                               TGCTTGAAGA                                                                               TGCTCTTCCT                                                                               ATAAATCTTC                                                                              CGAAAATGTT                                                                              700                            TCTCCGCATG                                                                               ACGGGGGTTG                                                                               AGCGAAGTTG                                                                               GTGGTAACGG                                                                              GAATAATTAA                                                                              750                            ACGGGGATAT                                                                               CATTCCCCGT                                                                               AGCGGGGTGG                                                                               ATGGGTGCCT                                                                              CCGGGGCTGC                                                                              800                            CGCAGTTCTG                                                                               TTCTCCGAAG                                                                               TGACTCCAGG                                                                               TGGGCCGTGC                                                                              GGCTTTTGTC                                                                              850                            TTTTTCGTGA                                                                               GAGCGGTCCG                                                                               ACCCTGCAAT                                                                               TCTCATGCCT                                                                              CCGCTTCGAA                                                                              900                            ATTGTCGTGC                                                                               AAAGAAAACG                                                                               TTGTTGAGGG                                                                               GTGGGATTGC                                                                              GATTGTTCTT                                                                              950                            GGCGTAGATC                                                                               CTGGGAGGAA                                                                               CGCGAGAAAA                                                                               TGTATTTCCG                                                                              GATCTGCGAT                                                                              1000                           TATGTGACAG                                                                               AGGAACTTGT                                                                               TTGCCCACAC                                                                               ACTGCTGCAG                                                                              TAAAAAAAAA                                                                              1050                           AAAAA                                                                          Amino Acid Sequence                                                            LFVVFKFALA                                                                               STTETPAPIE                                                                               CTAGATKTVD                                                                               APSSGSVVFQ         40                            CGDKLTISPS                                                                               GEGDVFYGKE                                                                               CTDSRKLTTV                                                                               LPGAVLTAKV         80                            QQPAKGPATY                                                                               TLSYDGTPEK                                                                               PQVLCYKCVA                                                                               EAGAPAGRNN        120                            DGSSAPTPKD                                                                               CKLIVRVPGA                                                                               DGRVTSGFDP                                                                               VSLTGKVLAP        160                            GLAGLLITFV                                      170                            __________________________________________________________________________

The invention has specifically contemplated each and every possible variation of polynucleotide that could be made by selecting combinations based on the possible codon choices listed in Table 1 and Table 2 (below), and all such variations are to be considered as being specifically disclosed.

Since the DNA sequence of the P22 gene has been identified, it is possible to produce a DNA gene entirely by synthetic chemistry, after which the gene can be inserted into any of the many available DNA technology. Thus the present invention can be carried out using reagents, plasmids, and microorganisms which are freely available and in the public domain at the time of filing of this patent application.

For example, nucleotide sequences greater than 100 bases long can be readily synthesized on an Applied Biosystems Model 380A DNA Synthesizer as evidenced by commercial advertising of the same (e.g., Genetic Engineering News, November/December 1984, p. 3). Such oligonucleotides can readily be spliced using, among others, the technique of preparing overlapping complementary sequences (e.g, 1-100 of coding strand, 0-50 and 51-150 of complementary strand, 101-200 of coding strand, etc.), followed by hybridizing and ligating the strands. Such techniques are well known and are described in detail in, for example, Davis et al., Basic Methods in Molecular Biology, Elsevier Science Publ. Co., Inc., New York (1986).

Furthermore, automated equipment is also available that makes direct synthesis of any of the peptides disclosed herein readily available. In the same issue of Genetic Engineering News mentioned above, a commercially available automated peptide synthesizer having a coupling efficiency exceeding 99% is advertised (page 34). Such equipment provides ready access to the peptides of the invention, either by direct synthesis or by synthesis of a series of fragments that can be coupled using other known techniques.

In addition to the specific polypeptide sequences shown in Table 1, peptide fragments based on these sequences and fragments representing minor variations thereof will have the biological activity of the various peptides. For example, fragments of the P22 peptide sequence can readily be prepared and screened for recognition by immunoglobulins specific for the P22 antigen itself. Peptide synthesizers can be used to prepare small polypeptide fragments (e.g., less than 100 amino acids) or techniques of genetic engineering can be used to prepare larger fragments. A simple screening procedure that will identify suitable polypeptide fragments consists of preparing monoclonal antibodies to the P22 antigen, attaching the antibodies to an affinity column, and capturing peptide fragments that are retained by the bound antibody. Polyclonal antisera can be used instead of monoclonal antibodies if desired. This technique has been demonstrated by the ability of antibodies to identify clones containing segments of the P22 gene, as described in detail in the examples that follow.

The ability to prepare and select appropriate immunologically active fragments from a larger protein is well known in the art and is described in a number of publications, including patents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,783, which describes the preparation of immunologically active fragments of viral proteins.

One common variation is the preparation of a polypeptide of the invention in the form of a fused polypeptide. Such peptides are typically prepared by using the promoter region of a gene known to be expressed in a host and inserting nucleotides that encode all or a major portion of the amino acid sequence of the invention into the genetic sequence for the host protein. Examples of such fused proteins include β-galactosidase fused proteins.

Another technique for preparing immunologically active peptide fragments is to synthesize a series of amino acids of from 5-100 amino acids in length (or any intervening length, such as 10, 15, or any other multiple of 2, 3, or 5 in this range) and screen for immunological activity using an antiserum (or monoclonal antibody). The fragments would be selected along the entire length of the peptide to optimize cross-reactivity (e.g., a series of peptides 20 amino acids in length and comprising AA₁ -AA₂₀, AA₅ -AA₂₅, AA₁₀ -AA₃₀, etc.). The selected fragment would then correspond to particularly useful corresponding nucleotide sequences that could be used to produce large amounts of the peptide for use as described herein.

In addition, minor variations of the previously mentioned peptides and DNA molecules are also contemplated as being equivalent to those peptides and DNA molecules that are set forth in more detail, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, it is reasonable to expect that an isolated replacement of a leucine with an isoleucine or valine, an aspartate with a glutamate, a threonine with a serine, or a similar replacement of an amino acid with a structurally related amino acid (i.e., a conservative replacement) will not have a major effect on the biological activity of the resulting molecule, especially if the replacement does not involve an amino acid at a binding site or other site of biologic activity. Whether a change results in a functioning peptide can readily be determined by direct analysis for function in an immunization or in a diagnostic test that relies on immunogenic specificity. Examples of this process are described later in detail. Peptides in which more than one replacement has taken place can readily be tested in the same manner. Preferred peptides differ at no more than 12, more preferably no more than 5, amino acids in any contiguous group of 20 amino acids. Standard conservative groups of amino acids are shown in parenthesis using the one-letter amino acid code: nonpolar (A,V,L,I,P,M); aromatic (F,T,W); uncharged polar (G,S,T,C,N,Q); acidic (D,E); basic (K,R,H). The aromatic amino acids are sometimes considered to belong to the broader-defined nonpolar (F,W) or uncharged polar (T) groups.

Other DNA molecules that code for such peptides can readily be determined from the list of codons in Table 2 and are likewise contemplated as being equivalent to the DNA sequence of Table 1. In fact, since there is a fixed relationship between DNA codons and amino acids in a peptide, any discussion in this application of a replacement or other change in a peptide is equally applicable to the corresponding DNA sequence or to the DNA molecule, recombinant vector, or transformed microorganism in which the sequence is located (and vice versa).

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         GENETIC CODE                                                                   ______________________________________                                         Alanine(Ala, A)                                                                             GCA, GCC, GCG, GCT                                                Arginine(Arg, R)                                                                            AGA, AGG, CGA, CGC, CGG, CGT                                      Asparagine(Asn, N)                                                                          AAC, AAT                                                          Aspartic acid(Asp, D)                                                                       GAC, GAT                                                          Cysteine(Cys, C)                                                                            TGC, TGT                                                          Glutamine(Gln, Q)                                                                           CAA, CAG                                                          Glutamic acid(Glu, E)                                                                       GAA, GAG                                                          Glycine(Gly, G)                                                                             GGA, GGC, GGG, GGT                                                Histidine(His, H)                                                                           CAC, CAT                                                          Isoleucine(Ile, I)                                                                          ATA, ATC, ATT                                                     Leucine(Leu, L)                                                                             CTA, CTC, CTG, CTT, TTA, TTG                                      Lysine(Lys, K)                                                                              AAA, AAG                                                          Methionine(Met, M)                                                                          ATG                                                               Phenylalanine(Phe, F)                                                                       TTC, TTT                                                          Proline(Pro, P)                                                                             CCA, CCC, CCG, CCT                                                Serine(Ser, S)                                                                              AGC, AGT, TCA, TCC, TCG, TCT                                      Threonine(Thr, T)                                                                           ACA, ACC, ACG, ACT                                                Tryptophan(Trp, W)                                                                          TGG                                                               Tyrosine(Tyr, Y)                                                                            TAC, TAT                                                          Valine(Val, V)                                                                              GTA, GTC, GTG, GTT                                                Termination signal                                                                          TAA, TAG, TGA                                                     ______________________________________                                          Key: Each 3letter triplet represents a trinucleotide of DNA having a 5'        end on the left and a 3' end on the right. The letters stand for the           purine or pyrimidine bases forming the nucleotide sequence: A = adenine,       = guanine, C = cytosine, and T = thymine. The RNA code is the same except      that U (uracil) replaces T.                                              

In addition to the specific nucleotides listed in Table 1, DNA (or corresponding RNA) molecules of the invention can have additional nucleotides preceeding or following those that are specifically listed. For example, poly A can be added to the 3'-terminal; a short (e.g., fewer than 20 nucleotides) sequence can be added to either terminal to provide a terminal sequence corresponding to a restriction endonuclease site, stop codons can follow the peptide sequence to terminate translation, and the like. Additionally, DNA molecules containing a promoter region or other control region upstream from the gene can be produced. All DNA molecules containing the sequences of the invention will be useful for at least one purpose since all can minimally be fragmented to produce oligonucleotide probes and be used in the isolation or detection of DNA from biological sources.

By "equivalent" is meant, when referring to two nucleotide sequences, that the two nucleotide sequences in question encode the same sequence of amino acids. "Complementary," when referring to two nucleotide sequences, means that the two sequences are capable of hybridizing, preferably with less than 5%, more preferably with no mismatches between opposed nucleotides. The term "substantially" preferably means at least 95% by weight, more preferably at least 99% by weight, and most preferably at least 99.8% by weight. The term "isolated" as used herein refers to peptide, DNA, or RNA separated from other peptides, DNAs, or RNAs, respectively, and being found in the presence of (if anything) only a solvent, buffer, ion or other component normally present in a biochemical solution of the same. "Isolated" does not encompass either natural materials in their native state or natural materials that have been separated into components (e.g., in an acrylamide gel) but not obtained either as pure substances or as solutions. The phrase "replaced by" or "replacement" as used herein does not necessarily refer to any action that must take place but to the peptide that exists when an indicated "replacement" amino acid is present in the same position as the amino acid indicated to be present in a different formula (e.g., when leucine instead of valine is present at amino acid 48 of P22.

Salts of any of the peptides described herein will naturally occur when such peptides are present in (or isolated from) aqueous solutions of various pHs. All salts of peptides having the indicated biological activity are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Examples include alkali, alkaline earth, and other metal salts of carboxylic acid residues, acid addition salts (e.g., HCl) of amino residues, and zwitter ions formed by reactions between carboxylic acid and amino residues within the same molecule.

Peptides of the invention can be prepared for the first time as homogeneous preparations, either by direct synthesis or by using a cloned gene or a fragment thereof as described herein. The P22 peptides were previously enriched by affinity chromatography and/or gel electrophoresis, but the resulting material was not free of all other toxoplasma materials.

Although genes and corresponding proteins can be prepared by the totally synthetic techniques discussed above, in preferred embodiments of the invention genetic information is obtained from natural sources and identified as described herein. The genetic material is first obtained in the form of a gene library, using any of numerous existing techniques. The first of these is to randomly shear genomic DNA and insert this sheared material into expression vectors. If enough recombinants are generated, there is a good probability of having at least one recombinant in the population which is expressing a fusion protein corresponding to the antigen of interest. In practice, for a genome the size of T. gondii (about 7×10⁷ bp), at least 5×10⁶ independent recombinants are needed. This allows for the entire genome to be represented by recombinants where at least one insert will exist with one of its ends falling within any 10-base-pair region. Allowing for only 1 in 6 such insertions being in the correct orientation and reading frame, functional recombinants should exist in such a library with fusions corresponding to every 60 base pairs.

Another strategy for preparing gene libraries is to make complementary DNA (cDNA) copies of the total mRNA population of the parasite and to clone these as recombinant molecules in expression vectors. Other investigations indicated that introns were present within the coding regions of other T. gondii genes. Although introns do not preclude use of sheared genomic DNA, they increase the number of recombinants which must be screened and make further analyses substantially more complicated. Based on this result, use of a cDNA library to obtain T. gondii genes is preferred.

As described in detail in the examples that follow, the sequence of the gene encoding the P22 peptide was obtained from the sequences of the clones obtained in this fashion.

Polyclonal antisera to P22 can also be used to screen a cDNA library in order to locate the P22 gene. Recombinants initially identified in this manner have been found to contain different genes, implying that at least some fortuitous cross-reaction with anti-P22 sera occurs. The true P22 gene can be obtained by screening with monoclonal antibody against P22, and its identity verified by preparing antisera against each of the fusion proteins obtained in the initial screening. These sera are then used in Western blot analyses against a lysate of T. gondii. Only antisera from the fusion product of the P22 gene will show reactivity predominantly or exclusively to P22.

A clone obtained in the manner described above has been fully sequenced. This sequence contains the partial protein-coding sequence of the P22 gene as shown in Table 1. The primary translation product has a hydrophobic C-terminus which is not followed by any charged residues. This is apparently diagnostic of a process originally reported in trypanosomes whereby the hydrophobic polypeptide segment is replaced by a glycolipid anchor. The presence of such a glycolipid anchor in the major surface antigens of T. gondii, including P22, has been reported.

Now that this sequence has been determined, it is no longer necessary to go through these steps to obtain the genetic material of the present invention. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique can now be used to isolate genes from natural sources in a simpler and more direct manner. Since T. gondii specimens are readily available from sources such as the American Type Culture Collection of Rockville, Md., and since PCR probes can be prepared using the sequences set forth in this specification, it is possible to obtain any desired segment of the sequences set forth herein using the PCR technique and commercially available sources of the T. gondii genomic material.

Although only a partial cDNA coding sequence is being disclosed for the P22 gene, this sequence can be used by those skilled in the art to isolate and determine the remaining coding sequence. Moreover, the DNA sequence disclosed represents about 75% of the expected coding sequence and therefore is likely to contain the predominant functional region of the molecule. This has already been demonstrated by the ability of fusion polypeptides corresponding to portions of this region to react with antibodies in human sera, as described in the examples below.

The gene encoding the P22 antigen can be used for the production of full or modified peptides using standard techniques of manipulating and growing unicellular microorganisms. Antigens which are candidates for vaccine development and/or diagnostic reagents will include those recognized by serum from infected patients. Additionally, any of the genetic sequences can be used as probes in hybridization assays.

Although the techniques set forth above, when used in combination with the knowledge of those skilled in the art of genetic engineering and the previously stated guidelines, will readily enable isolation of the desired gene and its use in recombinant DNA vectors now that sufficient information is provided to locate the gene, other methods which lead to the same result are also known and may be used in the preparation of recombinant DNA vectors of this invention.

Expression of T. gondii proteins can be enhanced by including multiple copies of the gene in a transformed host; by selecting a vector known to reproduce in the host, thereby producing large quantities of protein from exogeneous inserted DNA (such as pUC8; ptac12; pIN-III-ompA1, 2, or 3; pOTS; pAS1; or pKK223-3); or by other known means of enhancing peptide expression.

In all cases, a T. gondii protein will be expressed when the DNA sequence is functionally inserted into the vector. By "functionally inserted" is meant in proper reading frame and orientation, as is well understood by those skilled in the art. Typically, a gene will be inserted downstream from a promoter and will be followed by a stop codon, although production as a hybrid protein (possibly followed by cleavage) may be used, if desired.

In addition to the above general procedures which can be used for preparing recombinant DNA molecules and transformed unicellular organisms in accordance with the practices of this invention, other known techniques and modifications thereof can be used in carrying out the practice of the invention. In particular, techniques relating to genetic engineering have recently undergone explosive growth and development. Many recent U.S. patents disclose plasmids, genetically engineering microorganisms, and methods of conducting genetic engineering which can be used in the practice of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,875 discloses a plasmid and a process of isolating the same. U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,863 discloses a process for producing bacteria by genetic engineering in which a hybrid plasmid is constructed and used to transform a bacterial host. U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,450 discloses a plasmid useful as a cloning vehicle in recombinant DNA work. U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,867 discloses recombinant cDNA construction methods and hybrid nucleotides produced thereby which are useful in cloning processes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,036 discloses genetic reagents for generating plasmids containing multiple copies of DNA segments. U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,877 discloses recombinant DNA transfer vectors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,270 discloses a recombinant DNA cloning vehicle and is a particularly useful disclosure for those with limited experience in the area of genetic engineering since it defines many of the terms used in genetic engineering and the basic processes used therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,336 discloses a fused gene and a method of making the same. U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,629 discloses plasmid vectors and the production and use thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,901 discloses a cloning vector useful in recombinant DNA. Although some of these patents are directed to the production of a particular gene product that is not within the scope of the present invention, the procedures described therein can easily be modified to the practice of the invention described in this specification by those skilled in the art of genetic engineering.

The implications of the present invention are significant in that useful amounts of T. gondii proteins and genetic material of the invention will become available for use in the development of hybridization assays or in any other type of assay utilizing these materials as a reagent for use in diagnosis, immunization, therapeutics, and research. Methods of using genetic material in a hybridization assay are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202, which is herein incorporated by reference. Transferring the T. gondii cDNA which has been isolated to other expression vectors will produce constructs which improve the expression of a T. gondii polypeptide in E. coli or express the polypeptide in other hosts.

Particularly contemplated is the isolation of genes from these and related organisms that express T. gondii protein using oligonucleotide probes based on the principal and variant nucleotide sequences disclosed herein. Such probes can be considerably shorter than the entire sequence but should be at least 10, preferably at least 14, nucleotides in length. Intermediate oligonucleotides from 20 to 500, especially 30 to 200, nucleotides in length provide particularly specific and rapid-acting probes. Longer oligonucleotides are also useful, up to the full length of the gene. Both RNA and DNA probes can be used.

In use, the probes are typically labelled in a detectable manner (e.g., with ³² P, ³ H biotin or avidin) and are incubated with single-stranded DNA or RNA from the organism in which a gene is being sought. Hybridization is detected by means of the label after single-stranded and double-stranded (hybridized) DNA (or DNA/RNA) have been separated (typically using nitrocellulose paper). Hybridization techniques suitable for use with oligonucleotides are well known.

Although probes are normally used with a detectable label that allows easy identification, unlabelled oligonucleotides are also useful, both as precursors of labeled probes and for use in methods that provide for direct detection of double-stranded DNA (or DNA/RNA). Accordingly, the term "oligonucleotide probe" refers to both labeled and unlabeled forms.

In addition to those uses previously enumerated, proteins produced using the genetic information set forth above have numerous uses in diagnosis and prophylaxis. For example, peptides and peptide fragments can be used in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for detection of IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE antibodies to T. gondii in human sera. Antigens of the invention can also be used in the HS/AC agglutination assay described in Thulliez et al., Path. Biol., 34:173-177 (1986) for the detection of agglutinating antibodies in human sera. Additionally, competitive antibody enzyme immunoassays (CEIA) can be used to detect antibodies in human sera that compete with monoclonal antibodies directed against the P22 antigen. Peptides and peptide fragments of the invention can also be used for the production of monospecific polyclonal antibodies for use in an antigenemia test to detect circulating antigen in patient samples, as described in Araujo et al., J. Infect. Dis., 141:144-150 (1980).

Additionally, it is possible to determine efficacy of any antigenic peptides or peptide fragments of the present invention for use as a vaccine. The peptide is used to immunize mice either alone, conjugated with purified protein derivative (PPD), incorporated into liposomes or incorporated with Quil A into an immunostimulating complex (ISCOM), or combined with an adjuvant (Freund's complete adjuvant, Freund's incomplete adjuvant, saponin, muramyl dipeptide, interferon-λ, or other adjuvants that might be developed). Immunization will be by the oral route or by multiple injections intraperitoneally or subcutaneously, following which the serological response, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), and cell-mediated immune response will be measured using standard techniques. The immunized mice will be challenged with tachyzoites or cysts of virulent and avirulent strains of T. gondii, and the animals will be examined at various times until death for the development of T. gondii cysts in the brain and in the skeletal and heart muscle.

The invention now being generally described, the same will be better understood by reference to the following examples which are provided for purposes of illustration only and are not to be considered limiting of the invention unless so specified.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification of P22 Genetic Material

An expression library was constructed in the vector λgt11 with cDNA made from poly(A)⁺ RNA of the RH strain of T. gondii. This vector provides for expression of the inserted cDNAs as polypetides fused to β-galactosidase. The technique used was essentially that of Huynh et al., "Construction and screening cDNA libraries in λgt10 and λgt11" in DNA Cloning, Glover, D. M., ed., vol. I, pp. 49-78, IRL Press, Oxford.

Briefly, cDNA was synthesized from 2.2 μg of tachyzoite poly(A)⁺ RNA template using AMV reverse transcriptase, and the second strand was synthesized with DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment followed by Sl nuclease treatment. The double-stranded cDNA was fractionated by chromatography on Sepharase CL-4B, blunt-ended with DNA polymerase I, methylated with EcoRI methylase, and EcoRI linkers added. Following removal of excess linkers by digestion with EcoRI and chromatography on Sephadex G-150, the cDNA was ligated into the EcoRI site in the lacZ gene of λgt11 and packaged in vitro. The library consisted of 0.6×10⁵ recombinant phase (colorless-pfu) prior to amplification; the names of clones isolated from this library are prefixed with a "c".

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 87-21-5A6 and 87-21-6D-10, which were raised against a membrane-enriched fraction of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites and which recognize a single major antigen with an apparent size of 22 kDa in Western blots of reduced or unreduced T. gondii tachyzoites, are both positive in the Sabin-Feldman dye test (for complement-fixing antibodies) and the immunofluorescent antibody test using live T. gondii tachyzoites. These data suggest that both MAbs recognize P22 on the parasite surface. When these MAbs were used to screen the cDNA expression library in xgt11, two clones were obtained, designated c86 and c88.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         λgt11                                                                           Isolation   cDNA Insert                                                                               Expressed                                       Clone   Method      Sequence.sup.a                                                                            Polypeptide.sup.b                               ______________________________________                                         c88     5A6.sup.c    1-909      1-170                                          c86     6D10.sup.d  253-1055   85-170                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.a Numbers correspond to nucleotide positions of the composite partia      P22 cDNA sequence shown in Table 1.                                            .sup.b Numbers correspond to amino acid residues of the deduced partial        P22 protein sequence shown in Table 1.                                         .sup.c MAb 8721-5A6 used as an antibody probe.                                 .sup.d MAb 8721-6D10 used as an antibody probe.                          

Example 2 Composite cDNA and Deduced Amino Acid Sequence of P22

Sequencing in M13 and mp18 or mp19 was performed by the dideoxy chain terminator method using [³⁵ S]dATP and DNA polymerase, or Sequenase™ DNA polymerase. For sequencing in λgt11, template/primer hybrids were prepared by the method of Chen and Seeburg, DNA, 4:165-170 (1985).

Sequence analysis revealed that clones c88 and c86 contain overlapping DNA segments that together encompass 1055 bp of cDNA sequence. As shown in Table 1, the composite cDNA sequence contains a 5' open reading frame of 510 bp (encoding a polypeptide with MW of 17,364) and a 14-bp poly(A) tail at the 3'end. These two clones thus comprise about 75% of the expected coding sequence. The portions of the composite sequence present in each clone are indicated in Table 3. The putative polypeptide encoded by the composite cDNA contains no N-linked blycosylation sites but has a hydrophobic C-terminus characteristic of surface proteins that possess a glycolipid anchor.

Example 3 Hybridization of T. gondii Nucelic Acids with P22 cDNA Probes

For isolation of DNA or total RNA for blot analyses, tachyzoites of the RH strain were grown in and harvested from the peritoneal cavities of mice as previously described in Prince et al., Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. (1985) 17: 163-170.

Total RNA was isolated from T. gondii tachyzoites by the guanidinium thiocyanate extraction method, and poly(A)⁺ RNA was selected by passage over oligo(dT)-cellulose. Tachyzoite DNA was isolated by lysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and proteinase K, as described by Davis et al., Basic Methods in Molecular Biology, Elsevier Science Publ. Co., Inc., New York (1986).

When genomic DNA of the RH strain of T. gondii was digested with restriction enzymes that do not cut within the c88 insert and was then probed with radiolabeled c88 insert, the probe hybridized with single bands for all enzymes tested. These data suggest that the P22 gene exists as a single copy in the tachyzoite haploid genome. Consistent with the latter result, the cloned cDNAs hybridize in Northern blots to a single RNA band about 1.5 kb in size.

Example 4 Antigenicity of Recombinant P22 Fusion Proteins and Confirmation of Gene Identity

To examine the recombinant β-galactosidase fusion proteins synthesized by clones c88 and c86, lysogens were prepared in E. coli Y1089 and the cell lysates (prepared according to Huynh et al., op. cit.) analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

SDS-PAGE was performed according to the method of Laemmli, Nature, 227:680-685 (1970). Molecular weight markers were Diversified Biotech mid range-prestained: phosphorylase b (94400), glutamate dehydrogenase (55000), ovalbumin (43000), lactate dehydrogenase (36000), carbonic anhydrase (29000), lactoglobulin (18400), cytochrome c (12400); BioRad high molecular weight; myosin (200000), β-galactosidase (116250), phosphorylase b (97400), bovine serum albumin (66200), ovalbumin (42699), carbonic anhydrase (31000), soybean trypsin inhibitor (21500), lysozyme (14400). After separation by SDS-PAGE, proteins were electrophoretically transferred to nitrocellulose paper and reacted with antibody according to the immunoblotting technique of Towbin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76: 4350-4354 (1979). Prior to use in immunoblots of lysogen lysates, all sera were preincubated with a wild-type λgt11 lysogen lysate to remove most anti-E. coli/λgt11 antibodies.

Both the c86 and c88 lysogens produced quantities of fusion protein sufficient to be readily visualized by staining the gels with Coomassie blue. In addition, when the lysogen lysates were blotted onto nitrocellulose and probed with the two anti-P22 MAbs, both fusion proteins reacted specifically with both 87-21-5A6 and 87-21-6D10 MAbs.

Further immunoblot analysis revealed that the c86 and c88 fusion proteins also reacted specifically with IgG antibodies in the sera of humans infected with T. gondii. Each of the serum samples from two patients with acute T. gondii infection (dye test=8000 for both; double-sandwich IgM ELISA=11.4 and 13.4) reacted specifically with the fusion proteins. Under the test conditions, these sera did not react with β-galactosidase in the lysate prepared from a wild-type kgt11 lysogen. In addition, no reaction was observed between the fusion proteins and antibodies in the sera of humans not infected with T. gondii. Since the c86 fusion protein contains only the terminal 86 amino acids of the primary translation product, the reactive epitopes for both the MAbs and the antibodies in the human sera must reside within that region.

To determine the size of the mature parasite antigen encoded by the recombinant clones, c88 fusion protein was employed to affinity purify IgG antibodies for use in an immunoblot of T. gondii lysate.

Briefly, crude lysate of the recombinant lysogen was subjected to SDS-PAGE on a 7% acrylamide gel, electrophoretically transferred to nitrocellulose, and a thin, horizontal strip containing the recombinant fusion protein excised and incubated with immune human serum, diluted 1:50 in TBS, 5% nonfat dry milk, 0.05% Tween-20. After washing the strip to remove unbound antibodies, bound antibody was eluted by incubation in 0.2M glycine-HCl, pH 2.5, 0.15M NaCl, 0.05% Tween-20 for 15 minutes at 20° C. The eluate was immediately neutralized to pH 7.4 by addition of Tris base and adjusted to 5% nonfat dry milk, 0.1% NaN₃. Additional details on this technique can be found in Hall et al., Nature, 311:379-382 (1984).

Human IgG antibodies specifically bound to and then eluted from c88 fusion protein on nitrocellulose paper were used to probe a blot of whole lysate of the RH strain of T. gondii. The eluted antibodies reacted with a single band with an apparent molecular mass of 22 kDa. These data serve to verify that the cloned cDNAs encode P22 of T. gondii.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

The invention now being fully described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of detecting the presence of Toxoplasma gondii RNA or DNA in a sample, comprising:(i) contacting said sample under hybridizing conditions with an oligonucleotide comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides selected from nucleotide sequences ##STR1## exactly complementary DNA sequences, and exactly corresponding or exactly complementary RNA sequences, (ii) incubating said sample, whereby in the presence of Toxoplasma gondii P22 RNA or DNA, a duplex is formed by specific hybridization of said RNA or DNA with said oligonucleotide; and (iii) detecting formation of said duplex.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said oligonucleotide is labeled with a detectable tag.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises a polymerase chain reaction.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said polymerase chain reaction utilizes two different said oligonucleotides as primers and said oligonucleotides comprise at least 20 consecutive nucleotides. 